Laksa Johor

by Linda Tay Esposito Flavor Explosions, San Francisco
Serves 6

Meat:
½ lb salted cod
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 lb cod

Spice Paste:
10 dried Japanese chilies or 5 fresh red jalapeno
10 shallots
1 inch of ginger
1 inch of galangal
1 inch fresh tumeric
1 tablespoon roasted belachan
5 candlenuts
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked
3 tablespoon toasted desiccated coconut

Broth:
¼ cup of canola oil for frying
3 cups coconut milk
3 pieces of lemongrass, bruised
5 stalks laksa leaves
3-4 cups fish or chicken broth
1 Tablespoon kosher salt

Toppings:
1 cup of shredded English cucumber
1 red jalapeno
½ red onion
1 cup of fresh pineapples
2 eggs
1 cup of mint leaves, whole
2 tablespoons laksa leaves, finely minced
1 Tablespoon ginger flower, finely minced
8 oz spaghetti, some salt and olive oil
1 lime, quartered

Preparing the salted cod:
1. Soak the salt cod for a couple of hours. Change the water if needed.
2. Remove the bones and mince the fish fine. Soak the dried shrimp for at least an hour.

Preparing the fish:
3. Salt the fish. Steam the fish until opaque and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
4. When cooled, remove bones and skin. Coarsely flake the fish with a fork.

Preparing the spice paste:
5. Grind together spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
6. Grind dried shrimp, salt cod, and toasted desiccated coconut into fine flakes.

Preparing the laksa soup base:
7. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until just hot. Stir in spice paste. Stir constantly, until the red oil separates from the spice paste about 8 to 10 minutes. Add fish mince.
8. Lower the heat, slowly add coconut milk, lemon grass, tamarind slices, laksa leaves, chicken broth and bring to a slow simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer for at 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste. Remove tamarind, lemongrass and laksa leaves. Add flaked fish.

Preparing the vegetables:
9. Finely julienne cucumber and jalapeno. Slice the onion. Cut pineapples into small wedges. Chiffonade the laksa leaves and ginger flower.
10. Beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Make thin omelets. Slice them into ¼ inch strips.

Preparing the noodles
11. Bring a pot of water to boil. Boil spaghetti till el dente. Drain.

Assembly
12. Place a serving of noodles, vegetables, herb, eggs in bowls and ladle laksa broth over.
13. Serve with quartered limes and sambal.